Colorado State University Athletics
Tuesday, January 8
Fort Collins, Colo.
7 p.m. MT
Colorado State
vs
Air Force
Redshirt-junior Nico Carvacho leads the country at 12.9 rebounds per game
CSU returns home to host Air Force in MW home opener Tuesday night
1/7/2019 3:42:00 PM | Men's Basketball
Rams and Falcons to tip at 7 pm as CSU looks to snap two-game skid against in-state rival
2018-19 Colorado State Men's Basketball
Game #16 - Colorado State (5-10, 0-2) vs. Air Force (5-9, 0-2)
Jan. 8, 2019 • 7 p.m. MT • Moby Arena (8,083) - Fort Collins, Colo.
Video: AT&T SportsNet (Play-by-Play Drew Goodman: / Color Analyst: Sed Bonner / Sideline: Taylor McGregor)
Local Channels: DirectTV: 683, 683-1, 684, 684-1 (HD) / Dish Network: 414 (SD), 5414 (HD) / Comcast Digital: 26 (SD), 665 (HD)
Radio: Colorado State Sports Network (Play-by-Play: Brian Roth / Color Analyst: Adam Nigon)
Flagship: KARS 102.9 FM (Fort Collins) / Affiliates: KDCO 104.7 FM (Denver), KMTS 99.1 FM (Glenwood Springs), KMTS 96.7 FM (West Glenwood Springs), KRDO 105.5 FM (Colorado Springs), KKVT 100.7 FM (Grand Junction), KMTS/KKVT 99.5/100.3 FM (Rifle), KKVT 97.1 FM (Delta), KKVT 98.1 FM (Montrose), KRFD 100.1 FM (Sterling), KNEC 100.9 FM (Yuma), KNAB 1140 AM (Burlington), KLMR 920 AM (Lamar) / TuneIn App
Live Stats: CSURams.com
Opening Tip
• The Rams will return to Moby Arena for its Mountain West home opener, hosting in-state rival Air Force on Tue., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play, Sed Bonner the analyst and Taylor McGregor handling the sidelines.
• Live audio is available on the Colorado State Sports Network, including KARS 102.9 FM (flagship). Brian Roth is on the play-by-play for the Rams, with Adam Nigon handling the analysis. Audio is also available via the TuneIn App on all smart phones and mobile devices.
• The game will also have live audio on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and live stats on CSURams.com.
2018-19 Rams Quick Hits
• Colorado State is under new direction, as Niko Medved has taken over the helm of the Rams' program in 2018-19. In his sixth season as a head coach, Medved has a 84-97 record overall but improved on the previous season's record in each of his five years as a head coach.
• The 2018-19 season marks the 116th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,257-1,262 (.498) in 2,519 games all-time.
• Colorado State basketball is hoping to earn its eighth invitation for postseason play in the last 10 years.
• CSU returns three starters and six letterwinners to this year's squad along with seven newcomers to the program.
• Overall, the Rams return three players with 23 or more starts from the 2017-18 campaign, led by Honorable Mention All-Mountain West selection Nico Carvacho. The redshirt-junior center will be expected to pace this squad along with senior guard J.D. Paige and redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner.
• For broadcasting quick hits, current averages and career highs on individual players, go to the back page of the notes for a Radio/TV chart that includes that information.
The Leaders
• Colorado State Head Coach Niko Medved (Minnesota, '97) is in his first season at CSU as head coach and has a 84-97 overall record as he is in his sixth season as a head coach.
• Air Force Head Coach Dave Pilipovich (Thiel College, '86) is in his seventh season as leader of the Falcons and as a head coach overall with an 89-122 record.
A Quick Look at Air Force
• Returning two starters and 12 letterwinners from last season's 12-19 squad that tied for ninth in the Mountain West with a 6-12 record, the Falcons were picked to finish 10th in the league's preseason poll.
• Junior forwards Lavelle Scottie and Ryan Swan return to lead the Falcons after starting a combined 46 games last year. Scottie leads the team in minutes, points and steals, while Swan paces the squad on the boards.
History Versus Air Force
• This will be the 112th meeting ever, with CSU holding a decisive 78-33 advantage overall, including 53-22 in conference action.
• In Moby Arena, CSU has posted a 42-11 overall record and won nine of the last 10 meetings in Fort Collins.
• Last season, Air Force swept the season series from CSU, winning each game by five points.
• Head Coach Niko Medved has never faced Air Force as a team's leader.
AIR FORCE - 78-33
Conference: 53-22
Home: 42-11 / Away 32-18 / Neutral 4-4
(complete results listing on page 14)
Mountain West Record
• Colorado State - a charter member of the Mountain West - is now 123-173 (.416) in regular-season action against MW foes since the formation of the league in 1999-2000.
CSU vs. Mountain West Conference
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Boise State 10-10 8-2 1-8 1-0
Fresno State 17-18 13-3 2-13 2-2
Nevada 9-11 5-3 4-7 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 366-419 225-146 126-253 15-20
A New Leader But Familiar Face
• While he may be in his first season in charge of the program, head coach Niko Medved was already a familiar face around Fort Collins and to Rams' fans. Medved previously was on the coaching staff from 2007-13 under two different coaches. He was a key part of recruiting players that helped the Rams to four consecutive postseason appearances, the last two in the NCAA Tournament that included a win over Missouri in 2013.
Postseason Experience
• Head coach Niko Medved has had extensive success wherever he has coached, both as a head and an assistant.
• As an assistant coach, he helped turn around the CSU program to improving its win totals from his first year in each successive year, ending in four straight postseason appearances.
• He continued that trend at Furman and Drake, improving both programs' win totals from the previous year in each of his five seasons as a head coach, finishing his last three years in postseason play.
Medved vs. 2018-19 Opponents
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force First Meeting
Arkansas 0-1 0-1 - -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-0 1-0 - -
Boise State First Meeting
Colorado 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-2 0-1 1-1 -
Fresno State 0-1 - 0-1 -
Long Beach State First Meeting
Louisiana 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Montana State 1-0 1-0 - -
Nevada First Meeting
New Mexico First Meeting
New Mexico State 0-1 0-1 - -
Sam Houston State 1-0 1-0 - -
San Diego State First Meeting
San Jose State First Meeting
South Dakota 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
South Dakota St. 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-2 0-2 1-0 -
UNLV 0-1 - 0-1 -
Utah State First Meeting
Wyoming 0-1 - 0-1 -
Totals 6-17 4-7 2-7 0-3
Basketball Staff
• Head coach Niko Medved brought four members of his staff from Drake with him. Dave Thorson, JR Blount and Ali Farokhmanesh were assistant coaches with Medved, while Aaron Katsuma joined him again as Director of Basketball Operations. Thorson has extensive experience as a high school coach and had previously worked with Medved at the University of Minnesota. Blount and Farokhmanesh also bring extensive recent playing experience with them as Blount played at Loyola Chicago, graduating in 2009, and Farokhmanesh was a key part of a Northern Iowa squad that knocked off No. 1 Kansas in the NCAA Tournament in his senior year in 2010.
Coors Light Coaches Show Is Back
• The Coors Light Basketball Head Coaches Show returns to Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon in Old Town Fort Collins this year. Join men's head coach Niko Medved and women's head coach Ryun Williams starting at 6 p.m. on the Mondays listed below to hear their thoughts on the previous week and look forward to upcoming action
• January: 7, 14, 21 & 28
• February: 4, 11, 18 & 25
Roster Size... But Inexperienced
• The Rams started the year with 14 eligible players on the roster, one of the largest opening day rosters in recent history. CSU had 11 players available to start the 2017-18 season. Of those 14 this season, a total of 11 were part of the program last season, with seven having played, with four returners who did play and also four newcomers to the lineup this year.
• Last year's Rams combined for just 7.5 seasons of NCAA Division I experience to start the season, but this year's squad comes in with 17 combined Division I seasons, a marked improvement.
Returning/Lost...By the Numbers
• The Rams added several key newcomers for 2018-19 as Colorado State looked to fill some gaps from last year's production on the floor, though CSU returns a significant portion on all categories.
• Here is a quick look at what the Rams returned in major statistical categories:
Category Total (R/L) % Returning
> Scoring 2314 (1353 / 961) 58.5%
> Rebounding 1126 (764 / 362) 67.9%
> Assists 409 (251 / 158) 61.4%
> Blocks 102 (55 / 47) 53.9%
> Steals 190 (100 / 90) 52.6%
> Minutes 6475 (4110 / 2365) 63.5%
Newcomers (Lots of)
• The Rams have a strong group of newcomers to the floor this year, made up of three transfers and four freshmen.
• The class distribution, as all have seen the floor for CSU the first time this season, is:
-- Juniors (Hyron Edwards, Kris Martin, Zo Tyson)
-- Freshmen (Sam Bannec, Kendle Moore,
Jack Schoemann, Adam Thistlewood)
Moby Arena Home Court Advantage
• CSU has a record of 550-230 (.705) record all-time at Moby Arena.
• The Rams have finished at least .500 in each of the last nine years, dating back to the 2008-09 season when the program was 6-9.
• Current head coach Niko Medved was part of a coaching staff at CSU that posted two of the top records in program history at home, as the 2012-13 team set the best mark at 16-1 with the 2011-12 team going 14-1. Overall as an assistant at CSU, he was part of a team that went 97-97 overall and 59-30 in Moby Arena and improved their overall record in each successive season.
Moby & Record Improvement WIth Medved (CSU Asst.)
Overall Moby Total Attend. Avg Att.
2012-13 26-9 16-1 92,488 5,440
2011-12 20-12 14-1 62,889 4,193
2010-11 19-13 9-5 68.305 4.879
2009-10 16-16 11-4 50,878 3,392
2008-09 9-22 6-9 48,858 3,257
2007-08 7-25 3-10 43,588 3,353
Totals 97-97 59-30
Last Time Out...
• Colorado State had early shooting woes that proved to be its downfall in a 78-67 Mountain West loss at Fresno State Saturday night. With the loss, the Rams fell to 5-10 and 0-2 in conference action, while the Bulldogs improved to 11-3 and 2-0 in the league.
• Early in the game, the Rams were able to overcome their turnovers and only trailed the host Bulldogs 11-10. However, Fresno State went on a 19-2 run over the next 4:34 to take a 30-12 lead the hosts would never give up. CSU cut it briefly with a 10-2 run to close out the opening 20 minutes and went into the halftime break trailing 36-22. The Rams clawed back to get the margin down to single digits four times in the second half, including eight twice in the closing minutes, but could get no closer.
• CSU shot just 33.3 percent (9-of-27) in the first half, including missing all 12 of its three-point attempts, and eventually finished at 42.3 percent (22-fo-52) as compared to 45.6 percent (25-of-57), including 12-of-33 from the three-point arc. The Rams also had 11 turnovers in the first half that the Bulldogs turned into 11 points.
• Redshirt-junior Anthony Masinton-Bonner recorded a game-high 26 points, while redshirt-junior Nico Carvacho added 23 points and 13 rebounds in the contest, as the duo were the only Rams to score in double figures. Fresno State had four in double figures, led by senior Deshon Taylor with 21 points.
(See page 18 for complete box score)
Last Year's Meetings...
• Colorado State could not hold on to its second half lead in the closing minutes and dropped a 76-71 home decision to Air Force, Jan. 17. With the loss, the Rams fell to 10-10 overall and 3-4 in Mountain West play, while the Falcons improved to 8-10 and 2-4 in league action.
• In a game that featured 10 ties and nine lead changes, the Rams held an eight-point advantage, its largest of the game, with nine minutes to go in the game, but the Falcons kept battling and chipping away at the margin. The visitors got the game to a tie at 62-each with 3:30 to play and took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Lavelle Scottie with 1:45 to play. In that final stretch, Air Force was perfect at the free throw line, canning all six attempts in the last two minutes and each of the 12 free throws in that final nine-minute span. CSU got it to on twice in the closing seconds but could not reclaim the lead.
• The first half had neither team able to pull away, as the biggest lead was eight, as Air Force relied on its six three-pointers while CSU held a 21-17 advantage on the glass in the opening 20 minutes. The two teams struggled to score as the Rams led 10-8 with more than 10 minutes gone. However, both teams picked up the offense as the hosts eventually took a 33-31 lead into the halftime break.
• Colorado State finished the game shooting just 37.0 percent (27-of-73) from the floor and only 29.4 percent (5-of-17) beyond the arc. Air Force was slightly better at 39.7 percent (25-of-63) on field goal attempts and 30.8 percent (12-of-39) on three-pointers. Both teams were solid at the free throw line, as CSU was 12-of-15 (80.0 percent) and AF was 14-of-17 (82.4 percent). The Rams did have a 49-37 advantage on the glass in the contest.
• Junior guard Prentiss Nixon led four Rams in double figures with 18 points and a career-high tying seven assists. Junior Deion James and redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho each posted double-doubles as James had 11 points and a season-best 14 rebounds, while Carvacho had 12 points and 13 boards. Redshirt-junior J.D. Paige was the final Ram with double-figure scoring with 10. Air Force was led by Trevor Lyons' 22 points, including 7-of-9 field goals and 4-of-4 from behind the three-point line.
(See page 19 for complete box score)
• Colorado State gave up a 10-0 run to Air Force to end the first half and the Falcons made it hold, earning the 78-73 victory over the Rams at Clune Arena, Feb. 6. With their seventh consecutive loss, the Rams fell to 10-16 and 3-10 in Mountain West action, while the Falcons improved to 9-13 and 3-7 in league play.
• The game was back-and-forth in the first half, with the teams exchanging four leads and tying six times. With the game tied at 27 at the final media timeout of the opening 20 minutes, Air Force came out and shut down the Rams' offense for the remainder and closed with 10 unanswered points to take a 37-27 lead into the break.
• CSU scored the opening bucket of the second half to cut it to eight and had it down to as few as six at 47-41 with 16:02 to play. However back-to-back threes by Lavelle Scottie and Ryan Swan pushed the lead back to double digits, growing to 17 at one point. The Rams slowly chipped away through the final eight minutes but could not get the deficit below five the remainder of the game.
• Colorado State shot 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the floor but just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from beyond the three-point line. Air Force was 45.6 percent (26-of-57) on field goal attempts but an even-better 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from the arc. The Falcons converted 14-of-20 free throw attempts as compared to just 7-of-8 for the Rams. Air Force held a 35-33 advantage on the boards, but converted their 10 offensive boards into 18 points.
• Redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho had the double-double with a career-best 16 points and 12 rebounds. Senior forward Che Bob also had 16 points, while junior forward Deion James had 14 and redshirt-sophomore guard Raquan Mitchell chipped in 10. Air Force was led by Sid Tomes with a career-high 18 points on six three-pointers. Swan also had 18 points, while Scottie added 17.
(See page 20 for complete box score)
National Rankings (Team/Players)
(through Jan. 5, 2019)
Team (Top 60 of 351 Division I teams)
Turnovers (Fewest) 11.5 39th
Personal Fouls Per Game 16.1 41st
Players (top 100 nationally)
Nico Carvacho
Rebounds Per Game 12.9 1st
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 4.20 1st
Double Doubles 10 3rd
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 8.67 3rd
Field Goal Percentage 58.9 37th
Free Throw Attempts 101 38th
Anthony Masinton-Bonner
Free Throw Percentage 88.4 32nd
Sharing the Load
• Through 15 games, seven different Rams have either led or tied for the team-high points in a game.
• Six different Rams -- redshirt-senior J.D. Paige (3), redshirt-juniors Anthony Masinton-Bonner (4), Nico Carvacho (4) and Kris Martin (2) and freshmen Kendle Moore (3) and Adam Thistlewood (2) -- have each led multiple times.
Carvacho Growing On the Floor
• Redshirt-junior center Nico Carvacho showed his increased comfort level on the floor, growing extensively the last wo seasons.
• In the 2017-18 season, Carvacho was the leader on the glass for CSU with 331 boards (125 offensive) in 32 games (the only Ram to start all 32 last year). His 10.3 boards per game average ranked second in the Mountain West, as he had double-digit boards in the last 16 games (averaging 13.6 per game in that span). He also just had the sixth-ever individual 300-rebound season in CSU history, surpassing the mark at Nevada, Feb. 25.
• Last year, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.3 rebounds in Mountain West play, leading by a wide margin in rebounding for league games only (next was 9.6 per game). He also had seven of the top 14 single-game totals in MW action.
• He had double-doubles in 10 of the last 16 games he played in 2017-18 and had a higher rebound average in MW league contests than Emmanuel Omogbo had in 2016-17 (10.9).
• Carvacho posted a career-high 26 points and tied a then-career best with 20 rebounds in the win over San Jose State, Feb. 10, 2018. The last Ram to have a 20-point/20-rebound game prior to that one was current Washington Wizards' Jason Smith, with 27 & 22 in a win over Wyoming on Feb. 24, 2007.
• He finished the season in fifth with 331 boards, surpassing former standout and current Washington Wizard Jason Smith in sixth.
• For his play in '17-18, Carvacho was named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West by both the league's coaches and media members in two separate votes.
• This season, Carvacho has started out effectively, recording double-doubles in nine games and is currently averaging a team-high 15.5 points and a nation-leading 12.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 58.9 percent from the floor.
• He had CSU game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• Recently, he recorded his second 20-20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds at Long Beach State, Dec. 22. The 22 rebounds are tied for the sixth-best single-game performance in CSU history.
• Carvacho's 23-point/22-rebound game was the second of his career, matching Smith as the only Rams with multiple 20/20 games in their career.
• At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career.
• Carvacho started the season No. 20 on the CSU career rebounding chart and is in sixth after his 13-rebound performance at Fresno State, Jan. 5. He now stands at 730, recently passing All-American and retired-number Ram Bill Green (1960-63) with 726. Next on the list is Mike Childress (1969-71) in fifth with 741.
• Carvacho also is second in CSU offensive rebounds with 273 and tied for fifth in CSU career defensive rebounds with 457 (since tracking of the two categories began).
• He is tied for 10th in league history with 13 career double-doubles in Mountain West games.
Double-Doubles in CSU history
28 Emmanuel Omogbo (2015-17) (#7 in MW history)
23 Nico Carvacho (2016-pres.)
22 Jason Smith (2005-07)
Carvacho's Career Double-Doubles Date Pts Reb
Northern Colorado 12/10/16 13 11
Wyoming 2/28/17 10 10
Sacramento State 11/10/17 11 20
Fresno State 1/6/18 10 19
at Utah State 1/10/18 10 15
Air Force 1/17/18 12 13
at San Diego State 1/24/18 14 12
at New Mexico 1/27/18 14 15
Wyoming 1/31/18 10 13
at Air Force 2/6/18 16 12
San Jose State 2/10/18 26 20
at Fresno State 2/17/18 14 11
at Nevada 2/25/18 13 14
Colorado Christian 11/7/18 14 15
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/10/18 18 11
Montana State 11/14/18 15 13
at Colorado 12/1/18 15 12
Arkansas 12/5/18 12 11
Sam Houston State 12/8/18 20 19
South Dakota 12/16/18 20 17
Long Beach State 12/22/18 23 22
at UNLV 1/2/19 28 20
at Fresno State 1/5/19 23 13
CSU Career Rebounding Ranks
1. 851 Pat Durham (52O-799D) 1985-89
2. 805 Rich Strong (117 Games) 1982-86
3. 799 Pierce Hornung (342O-457D) 2009-13
4. 772 Matt Barnett (227O-545D) 1994-98
5. 741 Mike Childress (48 Games) 1969-71
6. 730 Nico Carvacho (81 Games) 2016-19
7. 726 Bill Green (76 Games) 1960-63
8. 694 Daniel Bejarano (185O-509D) 2011-15
9. 683 Jason Smith (223O-460D) 2004-07
10. 665 Brian Greene (212O-453D) 1999-03
11. 663 Tim Hall (79 Games) 1972-75
12. 642 Richard Gregory (75 Games) 1955-58
13. 638 Larry Hoffner (70 Games) 1957-60
638 Emmanuel Omogbo (203O-435D) 2015-17
15. 627 Andy Ogide (185O-442D) 2007-11
Carvacho's '17-18 MW/Nat'l Rankings Stat MW NCAA
Rebounds Per Game 10.3 2nd 15th
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 3.91 1st 7th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 6.44 5th 49th
Double-Doubles 11 4th 55th
Total Rebounds 331 2nd 17th
Paige Wheels & Deals
• Redshirt-senior J.D. Paige adjusted well to his new role within CSU's offense the last two years.
• In 2016-17, Paige led CSU assists (2.5 apg), was third in steals (0.9 spg) and blocked shots (0.7) and fourth in scoring (8.8 ppg).
• The Denver, Colo., native had a solid outing against Alcorn State (11/23/16), recording career bests of 23 points and six assists in the home victory.
• Paige tied his career high with 23 points, including a career-best five three-pointers in the win over Fresno State, Feb. 11, 2017.
• Last season, Paige picked up a season-high 22 points versus San Diego State (1/2/18), making a career-high field goals.
• Paige scored in double figures in five of his last six games in 2017-18, including the performance at San Diego State and a 14-point, six-rebound outing in the win at Wyoming, Jan. 13. He also had 19 points against UNLV, Jan. 20.
• After missing six games with a broken hand suffered at San Diego State on Jan. 24, Paige returned to the lineup against Boise State (Feb. 21) with 12 points and averaged 10.4 points per game, third on the team, and had a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
• Paige missed the season opener but returned with 14 points (4-of-5 3-pointers) and a career-high tying six assists in the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• He tied his career high against Montana State, Nov. 14, tallying a team-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field in the win.
• He again tied his career best with a game-high 23 points in the home win over Sam Houston State, Dec. 8.
• Paige currently is second for CSU at 15.4 points per game (9th in MW), connecting on 45.3 percent from the floor, including 39.4 percent from the arc, as well as 78.6 percent (33-of-42) from the free throw line.
• Currently with 941 career points, if Paige stays healthy and averages 15.0 points per game for the next five games, he would reach the career 1,000-point plateau at Nevada on Jan. 23. He would be the 29th Ram in history to accomplish the feat.
A Little Different Name, Same Face
• Redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner (the guard previously known as Anthony Bonner but always "AB") is expected to take up more of the scoring load this season.
• Last year, Masinton-Bonner started in 21 of the 32 games he played in, averaging 8.9 points per contest in 27.1 minutes per game.
• He was the team leader at the three-point arc at 43.2 percent and was second from the charity stripe, connecting on 82.1 percent of his attempts.
• In the season opener against Colorado Christian, Masinton-Bonner was not only effective but efficient. He tallied a career-high tying 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, including 6-of-7 from the three-point arc. He also chipped in five rebounds and four assists.
• Against Montana State Nov. 14, Masinton-Bonner was inspired after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half, as he returned in the second half to score 12 of his 14 points in the win.
• Against New Mexico State Dec. 30, Masinton-Bonner was 5-of-6 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line for 15 points in 25 minutes of play.
• At Fresno State Jan. 5, the guard recorded a career-high 26 points, connecting on 9-of-14 field goal attempts and making all seven of his free throws.
• In the first 15 contests, he is third on the team in scoring at 13.8 points along with 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from the three-point line and a team-best 88.4 percent from the charity stripe.
Newcomers Jumping In Early
• Five Rams made their debut in the Green and Gold in season-opening win over Colorado Christian.
• Freshman Kendle Moore started and scored a game-high 26 points in 32 minutes of action. He was solid, going 9-of-11 from the floor, 4-of-5 from the arc and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. He also added four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
• Freshman Adam Thistlewood had 10 points in starting his first collegiate game, while also grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
• Also seeing time were redshirt-junior Zo Tyson and freshmen Jack Schoemann and Sam Bannec. Tyson had six points and four rebounds, while Bannec hit a three-pointer late.
• Redshirt-junior Kris Martin made his season debut against South Dakota State, Nov. 21, and tallied 11 points in 30 minutes of action. He has at least tied for the team lead in scoring over the next two games, including 21 points at Colorado, Dec. 1. Recently, he recorded a collegiate career-best eight assists against Arkansas, Dec. 5.
• Thistlewood tied for game-high honors with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including a career-best four three pointers against New Mexico State, Dec. 30.
• Moore is fourth at 8.7 points per game, Thistlewood is fifth at 8.0 and Martin is sixth at 7.7 points a contest. Moore and Thistlewood have scored in double figures in six contests each, with both shooting 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
Looking Ahead
• The Rams will play their second straight Mountain West home game, hosting rival New Mexico on Sat., Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, with Rich Waltz on play-by-play and Dan Dickau the analyst.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Sports Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon on the call.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the TuneIn app (free on all Apple, Android, Windows, Blackberry and Amazon Kindle devices) – once downloaded, search "Colorado St. Rams Sports Network" in the app for the games and coaches' show broadcasts.
CSU All-Time Vs. 2018-19 Opponents
Overall Home Road Neutral
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Arkansas 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 3-0 - -
Boise State 10-11 8-3 1-8 1-0
Colorado 38-89 28-36 9-53 1-0
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-0 - 1-0 -
Fresno State 17-18 13-3 2-13 2-2
Long Beach State 3-2 2-1 1-1 -
Louisiana 1-1 1-0 - 0-1
Montana State 12-4 8-2 4-2 -
Nevada 9-12 5-3 4-8 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
New Mexico State 5-3 4-1 1-2 -
Sam Houston State 0-1 0-1 - -
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
South Dakota 0-1 0-1 - -
South Dakota State 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-3 1-1 0-1 0-1
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 431-529 273-192 142-314 16-23
• The Rams will return to Moby Arena for its Mountain West home opener, hosting in-state rival Air Force on Tue., Jan. 8 at 7 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on AT&T SportsNet, with Drew Goodman on play-by-play, Sed Bonner the analyst and Taylor McGregor handling the sidelines.
• Live audio is available on the Colorado State Sports Network, including KARS 102.9 FM (flagship). Brian Roth is on the play-by-play for the Rams, with Adam Nigon handling the analysis. Audio is also available via the TuneIn App on all smart phones and mobile devices.
• The game will also have live audio on CSURams.com in partnership with SIDEARM Sports and live stats on CSURams.com.
2018-19 Rams Quick Hits
• Colorado State is under new direction, as Niko Medved has taken over the helm of the Rams' program in 2018-19. In his sixth season as a head coach, Medved has a 84-97 record overall but improved on the previous season's record in each of his five years as a head coach.
• The 2018-19 season marks the 116th in the history of the Colorado State men's basketball program. The Rams are 1,257-1,262 (.498) in 2,519 games all-time.
• Colorado State basketball is hoping to earn its eighth invitation for postseason play in the last 10 years.
• CSU returns three starters and six letterwinners to this year's squad along with seven newcomers to the program.
• Overall, the Rams return three players with 23 or more starts from the 2017-18 campaign, led by Honorable Mention All-Mountain West selection Nico Carvacho. The redshirt-junior center will be expected to pace this squad along with senior guard J.D. Paige and redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner.
• For broadcasting quick hits, current averages and career highs on individual players, go to the back page of the notes for a Radio/TV chart that includes that information.
The Leaders
• Colorado State Head Coach Niko Medved (Minnesota, '97) is in his first season at CSU as head coach and has a 84-97 overall record as he is in his sixth season as a head coach.
• Air Force Head Coach Dave Pilipovich (Thiel College, '86) is in his seventh season as leader of the Falcons and as a head coach overall with an 89-122 record.
A Quick Look at Air Force
• Returning two starters and 12 letterwinners from last season's 12-19 squad that tied for ninth in the Mountain West with a 6-12 record, the Falcons were picked to finish 10th in the league's preseason poll.
• Junior forwards Lavelle Scottie and Ryan Swan return to lead the Falcons after starting a combined 46 games last year. Scottie leads the team in minutes, points and steals, while Swan paces the squad on the boards.
History Versus Air Force
• This will be the 112th meeting ever, with CSU holding a decisive 78-33 advantage overall, including 53-22 in conference action.
• In Moby Arena, CSU has posted a 42-11 overall record and won nine of the last 10 meetings in Fort Collins.
• Last season, Air Force swept the season series from CSU, winning each game by five points.
• Head Coach Niko Medved has never faced Air Force as a team's leader.
AIR FORCE - 78-33
Conference: 53-22
Home: 42-11 / Away 32-18 / Neutral 4-4
(complete results listing on page 14)
Mountain West Record
• Colorado State - a charter member of the Mountain West - is now 123-173 (.416) in regular-season action against MW foes since the formation of the league in 1999-2000.
CSU vs. Mountain West Conference
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Boise State 10-10 8-2 1-8 1-0
Fresno State 17-18 13-3 2-13 2-2
Nevada 9-11 5-3 4-7 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 366-419 225-146 126-253 15-20
A New Leader But Familiar Face
• While he may be in his first season in charge of the program, head coach Niko Medved was already a familiar face around Fort Collins and to Rams' fans. Medved previously was on the coaching staff from 2007-13 under two different coaches. He was a key part of recruiting players that helped the Rams to four consecutive postseason appearances, the last two in the NCAA Tournament that included a win over Missouri in 2013.
Postseason Experience
• Head coach Niko Medved has had extensive success wherever he has coached, both as a head and an assistant.
• As an assistant coach, he helped turn around the CSU program to improving its win totals from his first year in each successive year, ending in four straight postseason appearances.
• He continued that trend at Furman and Drake, improving both programs' win totals from the previous year in each of his five seasons as a head coach, finishing his last three years in postseason play.
Medved vs. 2018-19 Opponents
School Overall Home Away Neut.
Air Force First Meeting
Arkansas 0-1 0-1 - -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 1-0 1-0 - -
Boise State First Meeting
Colorado 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-2 0-1 1-1 -
Fresno State 0-1 - 0-1 -
Long Beach State First Meeting
Louisiana 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Montana State 1-0 1-0 - -
Nevada First Meeting
New Mexico First Meeting
New Mexico State 0-1 0-1 - -
Sam Houston State 1-0 1-0 - -
San Diego State First Meeting
San Jose State First Meeting
South Dakota 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
South Dakota St. 0-2 - 0-1 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-2 0-2 1-0 -
UNLV 0-1 - 0-1 -
Utah State First Meeting
Wyoming 0-1 - 0-1 -
Totals 6-17 4-7 2-7 0-3
Basketball Staff
• Head coach Niko Medved brought four members of his staff from Drake with him. Dave Thorson, JR Blount and Ali Farokhmanesh were assistant coaches with Medved, while Aaron Katsuma joined him again as Director of Basketball Operations. Thorson has extensive experience as a high school coach and had previously worked with Medved at the University of Minnesota. Blount and Farokhmanesh also bring extensive recent playing experience with them as Blount played at Loyola Chicago, graduating in 2009, and Farokhmanesh was a key part of a Northern Iowa squad that knocked off No. 1 Kansas in the NCAA Tournament in his senior year in 2010.
Coors Light Coaches Show Is Back
• The Coors Light Basketball Head Coaches Show returns to Lucky Joe's Sidewalk Saloon in Old Town Fort Collins this year. Join men's head coach Niko Medved and women's head coach Ryun Williams starting at 6 p.m. on the Mondays listed below to hear their thoughts on the previous week and look forward to upcoming action
• January: 7, 14, 21 & 28
• February: 4, 11, 18 & 25
Roster Size... But Inexperienced
• The Rams started the year with 14 eligible players on the roster, one of the largest opening day rosters in recent history. CSU had 11 players available to start the 2017-18 season. Of those 14 this season, a total of 11 were part of the program last season, with seven having played, with four returners who did play and also four newcomers to the lineup this year.
• Last year's Rams combined for just 7.5 seasons of NCAA Division I experience to start the season, but this year's squad comes in with 17 combined Division I seasons, a marked improvement.
Returning/Lost...By the Numbers
• The Rams added several key newcomers for 2018-19 as Colorado State looked to fill some gaps from last year's production on the floor, though CSU returns a significant portion on all categories.
• Here is a quick look at what the Rams returned in major statistical categories:
Category Total (R/L) % Returning
> Scoring 2314 (1353 / 961) 58.5%
> Rebounding 1126 (764 / 362) 67.9%
> Assists 409 (251 / 158) 61.4%
> Blocks 102 (55 / 47) 53.9%
> Steals 190 (100 / 90) 52.6%
> Minutes 6475 (4110 / 2365) 63.5%
Newcomers (Lots of)
• The Rams have a strong group of newcomers to the floor this year, made up of three transfers and four freshmen.
• The class distribution, as all have seen the floor for CSU the first time this season, is:
-- Juniors (Hyron Edwards, Kris Martin, Zo Tyson)
-- Freshmen (Sam Bannec, Kendle Moore,
Jack Schoemann, Adam Thistlewood)
Moby Arena Home Court Advantage
• CSU has a record of 550-230 (.705) record all-time at Moby Arena.
• The Rams have finished at least .500 in each of the last nine years, dating back to the 2008-09 season when the program was 6-9.
• Current head coach Niko Medved was part of a coaching staff at CSU that posted two of the top records in program history at home, as the 2012-13 team set the best mark at 16-1 with the 2011-12 team going 14-1. Overall as an assistant at CSU, he was part of a team that went 97-97 overall and 59-30 in Moby Arena and improved their overall record in each successive season.
Moby & Record Improvement WIth Medved (CSU Asst.)
Overall Moby Total Attend. Avg Att.
2012-13 26-9 16-1 92,488 5,440
2011-12 20-12 14-1 62,889 4,193
2010-11 19-13 9-5 68.305 4.879
2009-10 16-16 11-4 50,878 3,392
2008-09 9-22 6-9 48,858 3,257
2007-08 7-25 3-10 43,588 3,353
Totals 97-97 59-30
Last Time Out...
• Colorado State had early shooting woes that proved to be its downfall in a 78-67 Mountain West loss at Fresno State Saturday night. With the loss, the Rams fell to 5-10 and 0-2 in conference action, while the Bulldogs improved to 11-3 and 2-0 in the league.
• Early in the game, the Rams were able to overcome their turnovers and only trailed the host Bulldogs 11-10. However, Fresno State went on a 19-2 run over the next 4:34 to take a 30-12 lead the hosts would never give up. CSU cut it briefly with a 10-2 run to close out the opening 20 minutes and went into the halftime break trailing 36-22. The Rams clawed back to get the margin down to single digits four times in the second half, including eight twice in the closing minutes, but could get no closer.
• CSU shot just 33.3 percent (9-of-27) in the first half, including missing all 12 of its three-point attempts, and eventually finished at 42.3 percent (22-fo-52) as compared to 45.6 percent (25-of-57), including 12-of-33 from the three-point arc. The Rams also had 11 turnovers in the first half that the Bulldogs turned into 11 points.
• Redshirt-junior Anthony Masinton-Bonner recorded a game-high 26 points, while redshirt-junior Nico Carvacho added 23 points and 13 rebounds in the contest, as the duo were the only Rams to score in double figures. Fresno State had four in double figures, led by senior Deshon Taylor with 21 points.
(See page 18 for complete box score)
Last Year's Meetings...
• Colorado State could not hold on to its second half lead in the closing minutes and dropped a 76-71 home decision to Air Force, Jan. 17. With the loss, the Rams fell to 10-10 overall and 3-4 in Mountain West play, while the Falcons improved to 8-10 and 2-4 in league action.
• In a game that featured 10 ties and nine lead changes, the Rams held an eight-point advantage, its largest of the game, with nine minutes to go in the game, but the Falcons kept battling and chipping away at the margin. The visitors got the game to a tie at 62-each with 3:30 to play and took the lead for good on a three-pointer by Lavelle Scottie with 1:45 to play. In that final stretch, Air Force was perfect at the free throw line, canning all six attempts in the last two minutes and each of the 12 free throws in that final nine-minute span. CSU got it to on twice in the closing seconds but could not reclaim the lead.
• The first half had neither team able to pull away, as the biggest lead was eight, as Air Force relied on its six three-pointers while CSU held a 21-17 advantage on the glass in the opening 20 minutes. The two teams struggled to score as the Rams led 10-8 with more than 10 minutes gone. However, both teams picked up the offense as the hosts eventually took a 33-31 lead into the halftime break.
• Colorado State finished the game shooting just 37.0 percent (27-of-73) from the floor and only 29.4 percent (5-of-17) beyond the arc. Air Force was slightly better at 39.7 percent (25-of-63) on field goal attempts and 30.8 percent (12-of-39) on three-pointers. Both teams were solid at the free throw line, as CSU was 12-of-15 (80.0 percent) and AF was 14-of-17 (82.4 percent). The Rams did have a 49-37 advantage on the glass in the contest.
• Junior guard Prentiss Nixon led four Rams in double figures with 18 points and a career-high tying seven assists. Junior Deion James and redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho each posted double-doubles as James had 11 points and a season-best 14 rebounds, while Carvacho had 12 points and 13 boards. Redshirt-junior J.D. Paige was the final Ram with double-figure scoring with 10. Air Force was led by Trevor Lyons' 22 points, including 7-of-9 field goals and 4-of-4 from behind the three-point line.
(See page 19 for complete box score)
• Colorado State gave up a 10-0 run to Air Force to end the first half and the Falcons made it hold, earning the 78-73 victory over the Rams at Clune Arena, Feb. 6. With their seventh consecutive loss, the Rams fell to 10-16 and 3-10 in Mountain West action, while the Falcons improved to 9-13 and 3-7 in league play.
• The game was back-and-forth in the first half, with the teams exchanging four leads and tying six times. With the game tied at 27 at the final media timeout of the opening 20 minutes, Air Force came out and shut down the Rams' offense for the remainder and closed with 10 unanswered points to take a 37-27 lead into the break.
• CSU scored the opening bucket of the second half to cut it to eight and had it down to as few as six at 47-41 with 16:02 to play. However back-to-back threes by Lavelle Scottie and Ryan Swan pushed the lead back to double digits, growing to 17 at one point. The Rams slowly chipped away through the final eight minutes but could not get the deficit below five the remainder of the game.
• Colorado State shot 47.6 percent (30-of-63) from the floor but just 28.6 percent (6-of-21) from beyond the three-point line. Air Force was 45.6 percent (26-of-57) on field goal attempts but an even-better 46.2 percent (12-of-26) from the arc. The Falcons converted 14-of-20 free throw attempts as compared to just 7-of-8 for the Rams. Air Force held a 35-33 advantage on the boards, but converted their 10 offensive boards into 18 points.
• Redshirt-sophomore Nico Carvacho had the double-double with a career-best 16 points and 12 rebounds. Senior forward Che Bob also had 16 points, while junior forward Deion James had 14 and redshirt-sophomore guard Raquan Mitchell chipped in 10. Air Force was led by Sid Tomes with a career-high 18 points on six three-pointers. Swan also had 18 points, while Scottie added 17.
(See page 20 for complete box score)
National Rankings (Team/Players)
(through Jan. 5, 2019)
Team (Top 60 of 351 Division I teams)
Turnovers (Fewest) 11.5 39th
Personal Fouls Per Game 16.1 41st
Players (top 100 nationally)
Nico Carvacho
Rebounds Per Game 12.9 1st
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 4.20 1st
Double Doubles 10 3rd
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 8.67 3rd
Field Goal Percentage 58.9 37th
Free Throw Attempts 101 38th
Anthony Masinton-Bonner
Free Throw Percentage 88.4 32nd
Sharing the Load
• Through 15 games, seven different Rams have either led or tied for the team-high points in a game.
• Six different Rams -- redshirt-senior J.D. Paige (3), redshirt-juniors Anthony Masinton-Bonner (4), Nico Carvacho (4) and Kris Martin (2) and freshmen Kendle Moore (3) and Adam Thistlewood (2) -- have each led multiple times.
Carvacho Growing On the Floor
• Redshirt-junior center Nico Carvacho showed his increased comfort level on the floor, growing extensively the last wo seasons.
• In the 2017-18 season, Carvacho was the leader on the glass for CSU with 331 boards (125 offensive) in 32 games (the only Ram to start all 32 last year). His 10.3 boards per game average ranked second in the Mountain West, as he had double-digit boards in the last 16 games (averaging 13.6 per game in that span). He also just had the sixth-ever individual 300-rebound season in CSU history, surpassing the mark at Nevada, Feb. 25.
• Last year, he averaged 11.1 points and 12.3 rebounds in Mountain West play, leading by a wide margin in rebounding for league games only (next was 9.6 per game). He also had seven of the top 14 single-game totals in MW action.
• He had double-doubles in 10 of the last 16 games he played in 2017-18 and had a higher rebound average in MW league contests than Emmanuel Omogbo had in 2016-17 (10.9).
• Carvacho posted a career-high 26 points and tied a then-career best with 20 rebounds in the win over San Jose State, Feb. 10, 2018. The last Ram to have a 20-point/20-rebound game prior to that one was current Washington Wizards' Jason Smith, with 27 & 22 in a win over Wyoming on Feb. 24, 2007.
• He finished the season in fifth with 331 boards, surpassing former standout and current Washington Wizard Jason Smith in sixth.
• For his play in '17-18, Carvacho was named Honorable Mention All-Mountain West by both the league's coaches and media members in two separate votes.
• This season, Carvacho has started out effectively, recording double-doubles in nine games and is currently averaging a team-high 15.5 points and a nation-leading 12.9 rebounds per game while shooting a league-best 58.9 percent from the floor.
• He had CSU game highs of 18 points and 11 rebounds in the win over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• Recently, he recorded his second 20-20 game of his career when he finished with 23 points and a career-high 22 rebounds at Long Beach State, Dec. 22. The 22 rebounds are tied for the sixth-best single-game performance in CSU history.
• Carvacho's 23-point/22-rebound game was the second of his career, matching Smith as the only Rams with multiple 20/20 games in their career.
• At UNLV Jan. 2, Carvacho set a new career best with 28 points and added 20 rebounds for his second 20-20 game of the year and school-record third of his career.
• Carvacho started the season No. 20 on the CSU career rebounding chart and is in sixth after his 13-rebound performance at Fresno State, Jan. 5. He now stands at 730, recently passing All-American and retired-number Ram Bill Green (1960-63) with 726. Next on the list is Mike Childress (1969-71) in fifth with 741.
• Carvacho also is second in CSU offensive rebounds with 273 and tied for fifth in CSU career defensive rebounds with 457 (since tracking of the two categories began).
• He is tied for 10th in league history with 13 career double-doubles in Mountain West games.
Double-Doubles in CSU history
28 Emmanuel Omogbo (2015-17) (#7 in MW history)
23 Nico Carvacho (2016-pres.)
22 Jason Smith (2005-07)
Carvacho's Career Double-Doubles Date Pts Reb
Northern Colorado 12/10/16 13 11
Wyoming 2/28/17 10 10
Sacramento State 11/10/17 11 20
Fresno State 1/6/18 10 19
at Utah State 1/10/18 10 15
Air Force 1/17/18 12 13
at San Diego State 1/24/18 14 12
at New Mexico 1/27/18 14 15
Wyoming 1/31/18 10 13
at Air Force 2/6/18 16 12
San Jose State 2/10/18 26 20
at Fresno State 2/17/18 14 11
at Nevada 2/25/18 13 14
Colorado Christian 11/7/18 14 15
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 11/10/18 18 11
Montana State 11/14/18 15 13
at Colorado 12/1/18 15 12
Arkansas 12/5/18 12 11
Sam Houston State 12/8/18 20 19
South Dakota 12/16/18 20 17
Long Beach State 12/22/18 23 22
at UNLV 1/2/19 28 20
at Fresno State 1/5/19 23 13
CSU Career Rebounding Ranks
1. 851 Pat Durham (52O-799D) 1985-89
2. 805 Rich Strong (117 Games) 1982-86
3. 799 Pierce Hornung (342O-457D) 2009-13
4. 772 Matt Barnett (227O-545D) 1994-98
5. 741 Mike Childress (48 Games) 1969-71
6. 730 Nico Carvacho (81 Games) 2016-19
7. 726 Bill Green (76 Games) 1960-63
8. 694 Daniel Bejarano (185O-509D) 2011-15
9. 683 Jason Smith (223O-460D) 2004-07
10. 665 Brian Greene (212O-453D) 1999-03
11. 663 Tim Hall (79 Games) 1972-75
12. 642 Richard Gregory (75 Games) 1955-58
13. 638 Larry Hoffner (70 Games) 1957-60
638 Emmanuel Omogbo (203O-435D) 2015-17
15. 627 Andy Ogide (185O-442D) 2007-11
Carvacho's '17-18 MW/Nat'l Rankings Stat MW NCAA
Rebounds Per Game 10.3 2nd 15th
Offensive Rebounds Per Game 3.91 1st 7th
Defensive Rebounds Per Game 6.44 5th 49th
Double-Doubles 11 4th 55th
Total Rebounds 331 2nd 17th
Paige Wheels & Deals
• Redshirt-senior J.D. Paige adjusted well to his new role within CSU's offense the last two years.
• In 2016-17, Paige led CSU assists (2.5 apg), was third in steals (0.9 spg) and blocked shots (0.7) and fourth in scoring (8.8 ppg).
• The Denver, Colo., native had a solid outing against Alcorn State (11/23/16), recording career bests of 23 points and six assists in the home victory.
• Paige tied his career high with 23 points, including a career-best five three-pointers in the win over Fresno State, Feb. 11, 2017.
• Last season, Paige picked up a season-high 22 points versus San Diego State (1/2/18), making a career-high field goals.
• Paige scored in double figures in five of his last six games in 2017-18, including the performance at San Diego State and a 14-point, six-rebound outing in the win at Wyoming, Jan. 13. He also had 19 points against UNLV, Jan. 20.
• After missing six games with a broken hand suffered at San Diego State on Jan. 24, Paige returned to the lineup against Boise State (Feb. 21) with 12 points and averaged 10.4 points per game, third on the team, and had a team-high 2.6 assists per game.
• Paige missed the season opener but returned with 14 points (4-of-5 3-pointers) and a career-high tying six assists in the win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Nov. 10.
• He tied his career high against Montana State, Nov. 14, tallying a team-high 23 points on 9-of-15 shooting from the field in the win.
• He again tied his career best with a game-high 23 points in the home win over Sam Houston State, Dec. 8.
• Paige currently is second for CSU at 15.4 points per game (9th in MW), connecting on 45.3 percent from the floor, including 39.4 percent from the arc, as well as 78.6 percent (33-of-42) from the free throw line.
• Currently with 941 career points, if Paige stays healthy and averages 15.0 points per game for the next five games, he would reach the career 1,000-point plateau at Nevada on Jan. 23. He would be the 29th Ram in history to accomplish the feat.
A Little Different Name, Same Face
• Redshirt-junior guard Anthony Masinton-Bonner (the guard previously known as Anthony Bonner but always "AB") is expected to take up more of the scoring load this season.
• Last year, Masinton-Bonner started in 21 of the 32 games he played in, averaging 8.9 points per contest in 27.1 minutes per game.
• He was the team leader at the three-point arc at 43.2 percent and was second from the charity stripe, connecting on 82.1 percent of his attempts.
• In the season opener against Colorado Christian, Masinton-Bonner was not only effective but efficient. He tallied a career-high tying 22 points on 8-of-9 shooting from the field, including 6-of-7 from the three-point arc. He also chipped in five rebounds and four assists.
• Against Montana State Nov. 14, Masinton-Bonner was inspired after suffering an ankle injury late in the first half, as he returned in the second half to score 12 of his 14 points in the win.
• Against New Mexico State Dec. 30, Masinton-Bonner was 5-of-6 from the field and a perfect 5-of-5 at the free throw line for 15 points in 25 minutes of play.
• At Fresno State Jan. 5, the guard recorded a career-high 26 points, connecting on 9-of-14 field goal attempts and making all seven of his free throws.
• In the first 15 contests, he is third on the team in scoring at 13.8 points along with 2.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists a game while shooting 51.8 percent from the field, 39.7 percent from the three-point line and a team-best 88.4 percent from the charity stripe.
Newcomers Jumping In Early
• Five Rams made their debut in the Green and Gold in season-opening win over Colorado Christian.
• Freshman Kendle Moore started and scored a game-high 26 points in 32 minutes of action. He was solid, going 9-of-11 from the floor, 4-of-5 from the arc and 4-of-5 at the charity stripe. He also added four rebounds, four assists and one steal.
• Freshman Adam Thistlewood had 10 points in starting his first collegiate game, while also grabbing five rebounds in 26 minutes of play.
• Also seeing time were redshirt-junior Zo Tyson and freshmen Jack Schoemann and Sam Bannec. Tyson had six points and four rebounds, while Bannec hit a three-pointer late.
• Redshirt-junior Kris Martin made his season debut against South Dakota State, Nov. 21, and tallied 11 points in 30 minutes of action. He has at least tied for the team lead in scoring over the next two games, including 21 points at Colorado, Dec. 1. Recently, he recorded a collegiate career-best eight assists against Arkansas, Dec. 5.
• Thistlewood tied for game-high honors with 17 points on 6-of-9 shooting from the floor, including a career-best four three pointers against New Mexico State, Dec. 30.
• Moore is fourth at 8.7 points per game, Thistlewood is fifth at 8.0 and Martin is sixth at 7.7 points a contest. Moore and Thistlewood have scored in double figures in six contests each, with both shooting 80 percent or better from the charity stripe.
Looking Ahead
• The Rams will play their second straight Mountain West home game, hosting rival New Mexico on Sat., Jan. 12 at 2 p.m. MT.
• The contest between will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network, with Rich Waltz on play-by-play and Dan Dickau the analyst.
• The game will air across the Colorado State Sports Network (along with online at CSURams.com), with Brian Roth and Adam Nigon on the call.
• CSU Sports Network broadcasts can be also accessed on mobile devices through the TuneIn app (free on all Apple, Android, Windows, Blackberry and Amazon Kindle devices) – once downloaded, search "Colorado St. Rams Sports Network" in the app for the games and coaches' show broadcasts.
CSU All-Time Vs. 2018-19 Opponents
Overall Home Road Neutral
Air Force 78-33 42-11 32-18 4-4
Arkansas 0-2 0-1 0-1 -
Arkansas-Pine Bluff 3-0 3-0 - -
Boise State 10-11 8-3 1-8 1-0
Colorado 38-89 28-36 9-53 1-0
Colorado Christian 1-0 1-0 - -
Florida Gulf Coast 1-0 - 1-0 -
Fresno State 17-18 13-3 2-13 2-2
Long Beach State 3-2 2-1 1-1 -
Louisiana 1-1 1-0 - 0-1
Montana State 12-4 8-2 4-2 -
Nevada 9-12 5-3 4-8 0-1
New Mexico 46-77 33-26 12-49 1-2
New Mexico State 5-3 4-1 1-2 -
Sam Houston State 0-1 0-1 - -
San Diego State 41-42 26-12 13-26 2-4
San Jose State 17-0 8-0 7-0 2-0
South Dakota 0-1 0-1 - -
South Dakota State 0-2 0-1 - 0-1
Southern Illinois 1-3 1-1 0-1 0-1
UNLV 16-39 11-15 5-23 0-1
Utah State 39-54 28-18 11-34 0-2
Wyoming 93-135 51-56 39-75 3-4
Totals 431-529 273-192 142-314 16-23
Players Mentioned
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F/C
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F
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F
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Colorado State Basketball (M): Season 1 - Ep. 1
Sunday, August 10
Ramily - CSU Men's Basketball
Tuesday, August 05
Ram Line - Shoot Around with Josh Pascarelli & Darnez Slater (MBB)
Monday, August 04
Behind the White Board - Ken DeWeese
Monday, August 04